Thanks to successful efforts stocking lake sturgeon fingerlings, like the one pictured, the fish are improving in several Minnesota river systems, prompting state officials to begin talking about expanding where it’s legal to fish for them.
(Photo: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)

When a fish starts topping 100 pounds, it’s more like a whitetail than a walleye.

That’s how Minnesota biologists are viewing lake sturgeon, Minnesota’s largest fish, as they continue to stage remarkable comebacks in many quarters of the state.

“We’re managing lake sturgeon like big-game animals, because that’s what they are,” said Henry Drewes, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ regional fisheries manager in Bemidji.

By the mid-1900s, lake sturgeon populations were destroyed or nearly destroyed throughout much of the state, the result of overfishing and habitat destruction.

But now they’re back, and the DNR is considering a major opening of the fish population to angling.

Strictly regulated fishing seasons, usually in the fall, currently are allowed in parts of the Rainy River watershed, including Lake of the Woods, and the Lower St. Croix River. Both areas have delicate, but healthy, populations of the ancient fish, which can reach several hundred pounds and live for more than a century. Anglers apply for a single tag, with a limit of one large fish per season, much the way moose and bear seasons are run.

Fishing remains closed on the Mississippi, St. Louis and Red rivers, the other watersheds where sturgeon are native. But because of decades of habitat improvements — including altering or removing dams, and years-long stocking campaigns — those populations, some of which had disappeared, are steadily improving, according to data from the DNR and partnering agencies such as several American Indian groups.

The comeback story reached a high last year on the St. Louis River near Duluth when biologists netted lake sturgeon fry, signifying the fish were naturally reproducing.

“You almost had grown men and women crying in the river when they saw those little buggers,” Drewes said. “It was a real milestone.”

On the Mississippi River near Winona, lake sturgeon are caught alongside legally catchable shovelnose sturgeon, catfish, walleye and sauger, according to Drewes and guides on the river. It’s illegal to target those lake sturgeon, and Drewes explained, “We’re technically making violators out of responsible fishermen.”

That situation, as well as sturgeon successes elsewhere, is prompting the DNR to consider opening more waters to sturgeon fishing.

“Is it time to think about more catch-and-release seasons? Would we maybe have one statewide season?” Drewes asked at a DNR symposium Friday, Jan. 4.

But, like the slow-growing fish — females can take 25 years to reach sexual maturity — the DNR doesn’t appear to be fast-tracking anything. Several weeks ago, the agency opened its rule-making process to begin talk of more sturgeon fishing.

Drewes said it could take two years for the DNR to form a position and at least another year after that before anything could be implemented.

ROUND TABLE

Drewes’ comments came at the annual DNR Round Table, held Friday and Saturday in St. Paul.

Several hundred stakeholders, ranging from disabled-hunting advocates to fishing guides, attended. The event is a combination of education, button-holing, cajoling and networking that helps the outdoors community and the DNR form policy positions.

Among the issues:

Outdoorswomen: The Round Table was the formal launch of Women Hunting & Fishing in All Seasons, a group whose goal is to, by 2021, double the number of women and girls buying hunting licenses and increase by 50 percent the number of females buying fishing licenses. The volunteer group is creating a database of videos and resources for women and girls interested in taking up the pursuits. For more information, go to womenhfs.org.

Fishing: A catfish working group said it would support a ban on fishing flathead catfish in winter, when large fish enter a stasis-like state and are vulnerable. A number of professional guides said they will continue to press for fishing-guide licenses to elevate their sport and ensure that all guides are safety trained and insured. Winter creel surveys on Cass Lake, where a darkhouse spearing ban was lifted last year, suggested spearers took more northern pike, accounting for perhaps 40 percent of the annual harvest. Angst continued over small northern pike in the state and the question of what is causing the apparent decrease in the number of Lake Mille Lacs walleye.

Hunting: Attendees showed general support for starting an August Canada goose hunting season, as well as open-water duck hunting on Mille Lacs and several border waters. General support also was shown for continuing current spinning-wing decoy rules. DNR officials said they continue to await survey results from the southeast part of the state before deciding whether to support the continuation of antler-point restrictions for deer hunting; officials said they have no plans to impose restrictions elsewhere.

Dave Orrick reports on state government and politics from the Pioneer Press' Capitol Bureau. When the occasion demands, he's been known to cover topics ranging from hunting to golf. He lives in St. Paul with his wife and son.

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